The Story of Joseph

1 CHILDREN’S BIBLE LESSONIllustrations by Frank and Jody Lydick

In the last Lesson, we learned that Jacob deceived hisbrother, Esau, out of the birthright. But eventually, Jacoblearned to overcome his human nature. He also wrestledwith God, and God blessed him and named him “Israel.”

Jacob finally moved back to Canaan, and lived there forquite some time. When he was older, he often relied on hissons to manage his herds. But Jacob continued his father’serror of favoring one child over the others. Joseph wasJacob’s favorite son. This made his brothers jealous.Joseph told them he had dreams that he would one dayrule over them. Joseph’s brothers grew to hate him.

Jacob made Joseph a very expensive coat of many col-ors. Usually, this type of gift was a rare honor, and reservedfor the firstborn child. When Joseph’s brothers saw this,they knew that their father loved Joseph more than any ofthem.

One day, Jacob sent Joseph on an errand to report onhis brothers’ herding activities. When his brothers saw himapproaching, they were angry and started to plot againsthim. Some wanted to kill him, but Reuben knew that Jacobloved Joseph. He did not want to cause his father to besad. Reuben suggested that they throw Joseph in anempty well and pretend to leave him there. When Joseph

The Story ofJoseph

2LEVEL K / LESSON 9

arrived, they tore off his colorful coat and threw him in thepit. Then the brothers taunted and teased him about hisdreams, and then left him alone. Joseph was really scared.He tried to climb the walls of the pit.

A group of Midianites approached the camp later thatnight. So the brothers sold Joseph into slavery. They thensmeared Joseph’s coat with the blood of a goat.

When the brothers went home, they told their father thatall they had found was Joseph’s coat. They said he musthave been killed by wild animals. Jacob mourned his sonfor many days.

The Midianites who bought Joseph took him to Egyptand sold him to a man named Potiphar. God did not aban-don Joseph in his trial as a slave. Joseph was successful ineverything he did, and Potiphar noticed this. Potiphar gaveJoseph authority and responsibility in his household.Joseph grew in his new role. The house of Potiphar pros-pered because of Joseph’s wise management.

Potiphar’s wife was not a noble woman. She noticed howJoseph had grown and matured into a handsome youngman. Potiphar’s wife wanted to be unfaithful to her hus-band. But Joseph obeyed and feared God. So he ran fromher when she tried to get him alone. She ripped offJoseph’s cloak as he ran from her. She told her husband alie. She said that Joseph attacked her, and that shegrabbed his cloak as he was leaving. Potiphar was incredi-bly angry. He had Joseph thrown into prison.

One day, Pharaoh was troubled by two strange dreamsthat he had the night before. The first dream was aboutseven fat cows being eaten by seven skinny cows. The sec-

3 CHILDREN’S BIBLE LESSON

ond dream was about seven fat ears of corn growing onone stalk and seven thin ears coming up and devouringthem. Pharaoh asked all his wise men, magicians and for-tune tellers to tell him what the dreams meant. But no onecould. The dreams came from God. Only God could revealthem.

Joseph appeared before Pharaoh and said that he couldreveal nothing. But God could tell him what the dreamsmeant. Joseph told Pharaoh that the dreams meant thatEgypt would soon experience seven years of plenty. Therewould be good weather, lots of food and peace in the land.But then there would be seven years of very bad weatherand famine. Everyone would be hungry and many woulddie. Pharaoh was upset.

Joseph told Pharaoh to make someone in charge of stor-ing food for the hard times that were coming. Pharaohthought that was a good idea. Joseph was made second-in-command of Egypt. Joseph stored grain in preparationfor the upcoming famine. When the famine began, peoplewould come to Joseph to buy the grain that he had saved.

As time passed, Joseph had his father and brothers andtheir families all come to live in Egypt. Jacob was overjoyedto see his son Joseph. He thought he had been killed.

Joseph got married and had two sons, Ephraim andManassah. Before Jacob died, he blessed both of Joseph’ssons. But the greater blessing went to the younger son,Ephraim.

Joseph and his family continued to live in Egypt andincreased in number. Joseph lived a long time and pros-pered in God’s blessings. He died at the age of 110.

4LEVEL K / LESSON 9

Jacob gave Joseph a beautiful coat ofmany colors.

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Joseph could not believe that hisbrothers would actually sell him tostrangers.

6LEVEL K / LESSON 9

Joseph was punished for somethinghe did not do.

7 CHILDREN’S BIBLE LESSON

Joseph listened to the butler and thebaker. He correctly told them what theirdreams meant.The butler was forgivenand returned to work for Pharaoh.

8LEVEL K / LESSON 9

Pharaoh had a dream. Joseph told himwhat it meant. Pharaoh made Josephsecond-in-command.

9 CHILDREN’S BIBLE LESSON

Joseph wanted a reason to make hisbrother Benjamin remain in Egypt. Hehid a cup in Benjamin’s bag to makeBenjamin look like a thief.

10LEVEL K / LESSON 9

Joseph could not keep his identity hid-den any longer. He told Jacob’s sonsthat he was their long lost brother,Joseph. He forgave them for what theyhad done and hugged them.

BIBLE MEMORY: Genesis 45:15

Published by The Restored Church of God.Printed in the USA; All rights reservedCopyright © 2006

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NAME SCRAMBLEDESERT MAZEHelp Joseph’s father, Jacob, and his brothers find their way to Egypt to buy grain.

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